Of a Familiar Stranger
by MidniteCurse4Eternity
Summary: Let's rewind the clock and go back to the beginning; back to when strangers were friends and he knew who he was. [REWRITE]
1. Haunted

**Note: I decided to rewrite this story because it's so confusing now that I re-read it. No one really reads this, but I would like to fix this anyway. I'm determined to finish this. I have decided to make this story stay backwards, but I will probably be switching back and forth with the past and present. I'm kind of trying to make it a prequel/sequel storyline if that makes sense? Okay. :D**

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><p>His face was illuminated with a soft blue glow, the sound of birds ringing in his ears. He grinned, feeling relaxed as he stood face-to-face with a stranger. He laughed, throwing his head back, because <em>said<em> stranger was currently attacking him with an orb of lightning. In his hand, he held a sphere of condensed wind, swirling in the palm of his hands. He rushed forward, clashing with the stranger. A wave of familiarity washed over him. The battle was at a stalemate, neither one of them was pushing with more force than the other. It was going nowhere. He was vaguely aware of the distant screams around him. He didn't know why, but he couldn't bring himself to kill this stranger. The stranger reminded him so much of a certain person, but he couldn't remember who it was. _Why couldn't he figure it out?_

"Who are you?" He whispered, but there was no reply. The stranger merely smirked, pushing against him. He smiled back and forced his attack to dissipate, allowing the stranger to advance forward. _He would end this battle._ He hissed in pain, gasping as the attack struck him head on. The attack tore through his chest and he coughed, blood spewing from his mouth. His body was on fire, but he couldn't feel a thing. Black spots swarmed his vision. Breathing shallowly, he sagged against the stranger, arms around him in a messed up kind of hug.

"Are you an idiot?" The stranger scowled at him, pulling his hand out of his chest with a sickening squelch. Blood covered his arm, dripping to the ground. It felt so right that he laughed, blooding pouring from his chest and dripping down his face. Somewhere behind him, a girl was screaming, apologizing and begging him not to die. The stranger glared at him with a grim face. He had a feeling that it was a common feature on the stranger's face. Don't ask him how he knew; he just did. Besides, he was dying. It didn't matter anymore. He snickered this time as his eyes began to close. He would die for this familiar stranger. He found himself being shoved away, the sound of a sword unsheathed reaching his ears. His eyes flew open and he watched in horror as the stranger headed straight for the girl. Tears streamed down her face as the sword descended upon her. He could make out the words that formed from her mouth: _Please forgive us. I'm sorry. _Her eyes closed. With his remaining energy, he rushed forward, grabbing a blade despite all the pain he was in. The sword continued on its course, not even stopping as he threw himself in front of the girl. The girl's head stilled against his shoulders, her breath week and slow. The blade he held had somehow lodged itself deeply into the stranger's side after he had failed to block the stranger's sword. The blood poured from their wounds, baptizing them with death. They were dead men.

"Except you." The stranger taunted, pulling his blade out in one swift motion. They fell to the ground in a heap. He winced in pain as his wounds started to burn, regenerating his body.

"NO. THIS WASN'T ..." He paused. "... it wasn't ... supposed to .. end like this." He sounded defeated, his voice cracking. "... _you were't supposed to die_."

"No, you live and we die. Our deaths for your life. Is it not a fair trade, NINE?"

"Please..."

"IT'S YOUR FAULT THREE WILL DIE!" The stranger all but snarled.

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><p>"<strong>NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!<strong>"

A man shot up from the bed as a nurse hurried into the room. He gasped for breath, the heart monitor furiously beeping. He clawed at the restraints that tied him down. The nurse rang the alarm as he ripped the straps that chained his body to the bed. The nurse looked at him with sadness, her dark bangs shadowing her eyes. _I'm so sorry Naruto. _She reached out with her hand, laced with chakra to sedate him. He fought for control, screaming. She hit the wall just as the doctors came in. When they had successfully strapped him down again, she injected him with a paralysis drug.

"T_hree will die_."

He thrashed against his restraints again. It was the same dream. It was always the same dream. That familiar stranger wouldn't leave him alone. He would never leave him alone. The darkness consumed him as the drug kicked in. In his unconscious state, the dreams kept coming, different every time, but always the stranger would appear, haunting his dreams—no, his nightmares—with those cruel red eyes.

"_Who are you?"_

He screamed.

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><p><strong>AN: **Bear with me because this story format will be a bit confusing. Even I'm confused.


	2. Night Terror

**NOTE:**

"_Dreams_"

"Real life"

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><p><em>It was a dark night, the big, dark clouds blocking the moonlight, as he walked down the road. Along the way, he passed an alleyway. Pausing for a second, he caught a glimpse of a silhouette. Curiosity got the best of him as he slowly walked towards it. Something about it seemed so familiar. He didn't know why he was so captivated by it. As he stepped closer, he caught a glimpse of pink as the clouds moved away from the moon. He froze as his heart raced. Something about the situation seemed so wrong. He stopped a couple of feet away as he saw a pinked haired girl pressed against the brick wall of the alley. A raven haired boy stood only a few centimeters away, his hand against her throat. Behind him was a blonde boy holding a gun. His eyes widened as he realized what he was looking at.<em>

When would this nightmare be over, he wondered as he tried to scream. Over and over again, a different situation, but the blasted ending was still the same. "He was** guilty**," a voice out of nowhere proclaimed. He watched as the boy with the gun - who was actually a younger version of him - point the barrel at the raven haired boy. He tried to reach out, tell himself to stop. But it was a failure, as he hopelessly stood there and watched. He felt like he was one of the ghosts in that one Christmas movie. Something was reminding him of his past failures, he just knew it. But what did he do?

_The blonde, hands shaking, shouted at the raven haired boy in front of him, "Let her go!"_

_Said boy turned around, hand pressed tighter against the girl's throat, "You can't save anyone. You failed three times already."_

_"Just ... SHUT UP!"_

_The raven smirked that familiar smirk of a certain someone's as the girl whimpered, gasping for air. The boy's chest constricted as his anger got the best of him._

_"It's your fault they died.** Dobe...**"_

_The boy shrank away as the raven's face contorted into a nasty, horrendous expression; his grin like a Cheshire cat's. Black pinwheels on a bloody red background stared at him and the boy lost his reasoning. He fired a shot at the raven - no, at the monster - as his fear backed him into a wall. The bullet bounced off the wall just next to the girl's head. She shut her eyes, tears coming down her face. The raven advanced as the clouds released a flood of raindrops onto the ground. The boy fired off another shot; this time hitting a power utility box. Both boys froze, their eyes fixated on the blue electrical current that seemed to shine through the darkness, wires cascading down the box._

He struggled, trying to get the restraints off him, his eyes staring at a scene unfolding at the foot of his bed, visible to only himself. He screamed, "NO! DON'T!"

_The boy tried to run towards the others - they couldn't die! - but those red eyes stopped him. The wires were slowly reaching the ground, towards the puddle of water underneath their feet. It was smoking and sizzling. The girl slowly closed her eyes. She knew that death would come by electrocution. 'Forgive us father for we have sinned against you.'_

_Five seconds._

_Four._

_Three._

_She whispered, "I love you." I'm sorry._

_Two._

_Red eyes flashed at the boy with the gun, "And they all fall down. **Hahaha**."_

_One._

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><p>He lapsed into a seizure, his eyes filled with tears. He stared at the edge of his bed, whispering over and over again, "Who are you? Who are you?", before he collapsed. The crazy beeping of the heart monitor alerted the doctor, who rushed into the room, the nurse trailing behind him.<p>

"He's going into cardiac arrest! Get me the defibrillator and the sedatives before he tries to kill us."

"Yes sir." The nurse replied as she looked at the boy in the bed.

_Naruto. Hang in there._

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><p><strong>AN:**

To prevent any confusion, I would like to add:

1. Each chapter goes back in time 3 years (approx). Although the format of the reverse timeline will vary among chapters. I'll let you know.

2. This is going to be modern/ninja/sci-fi AU.

3. Naruto is having a night terror, which are a bit like dreams except you see things that you swear are so real that you can touch. In a sense, you're awake, but still asleep. You don't remember them afterwards. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.


	3. The Plan (part 1)

**Note: Naruto is 21 in Ch1, 18 in Ch2, 15 in this chapter. Background story. Shizune-centric. This chapter consists of present day and a flashback to three years ago (Naruto is 12)**

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><p>A black haired nurse sighed softly as she stared at the patient in front of here. He was a mere boy of fifteen, having transferred from the Oto Psych Ward—<em>just hearing the name made her wince<em>—three years ago. She watched as he muttered in his sleep, his fists clenched. She felt guilty, it was partially her fault that he got stuck with the short end of the stick. He was still treated better than the others despite being a prisoner. He was the king of the Kami Experiments, above those in the Demi Project like herself. The Kami Experiment was a miracle among miracles; genetically enhanced super humans with the ability to wipe whole nations off the earth. She frowned. They were weapons created to fight those that opposed the dictatorship.

"I'm sorry." The boy mumbled. "I didn't mean for ..." He paused, his face twisting into an agonizing expression. "They were my friends. Stop! Please!"

The nurse's frown deepened. He was dreaming about that**_ incident_ **again. He had killed everyone on sight; the other Kami Experiments didn't stand a chance. She guessed it was because he was the king of the experiments, labeled **9**. He had wiped out numbers 2-7 in a heartbeat, she had heard. Numbers 1 and 8 had been absent that day, having already been sold to some of the leading military men of the country. It wasn't good that he was still dreaming about it. According to the _"plan"_, he was slowly forgetting about the incident four years ago, but it still haunted his dreams. He couldn't remember the details. It would kill him before he could throw his plan into motion. She had to do something about it before it was too late. She froze as he opened his eyes, staring straight at her. She shuddered at the intensity of his icy stare.

"…Sas…uke?"

She stood still, holding her breath. _T__his is so not part of the plan._

She still remembers that day, three years ago when he transferred to Senju Chakra Facilities.

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><p><strong>Senju Chakra Facilities: 3 YEARS AGO <strong>

"Shizune!"

"Coming."

"A special patient is being transferred here…"

"May I ask who?"

"…the survivor of the Kami Experiment…"

"…Is it wise to transfer him here?"

"He couldn't handle staying at Oto's. I heard that he's been destroying everything in sight."

"And he's COMING _HERE_?" Shizune knew about Oto; they were the leading facility for gene experimentation. She hated that place with a passion. She had come from there herself.

"…Tsunade wants you to clear out a cell in Area 666…"

"…666? Are you serious?"

"Just do your goddamn job!"

"Yes sir."

Shizune sighed as she walked towards Area 666. Now before anyone says anything, Area 666 is a restricted zone and only certain people are allowed to enter. The rest just become easy prey for the _patients_in there. Now for Shizune, no one would dare hurt her; not that they could anyways. She was one of the more successful Demi projects to ever come out of the government's programs. Shizune hated the government for treating its people like trash. Especially the ones who weren't engineered to be prefect. Gene experimentation was funded by the government. Of course those of the lower class were treated as test subjects, herself included. Shizune was lucky to have been taken in by one of the elites, who had become fond of her abilities. It was her ability that allowed her to walk to and from Area 666 without a scratch. With a touch of her hand, she could heal or restrict nerves. But that was just the bare surface of her abilities. Her genes were enhanced with chakra receptors, radioactive particles that were supposed to unlock the hidden potential of humans. The process wasn't painless and the agony she suffered through was indescribable. She was a monster at times, especially today.

"**Move.**" She growled out as Prisoner 163 blocked her path. When Prisoner 163 wouldn't budge, she shot out her hands, aiming for his lungs, and he crumbled to the floor. Sure she could heal people, but she was made to kill. She frowned at the thought as she approached the cell where the new patient would stay. She really hated the Kami numbers, having been a Demi number before. But it didn't matter. She wasn't human anymore and emotions weren't important,she told herself. The experiments had ripped all of her human dignity away. She double checked the restraints and the bars in the cell. When everything was satisfactory, she walked out of Area 666, barking at the guards to pick Prisoner 163 up.

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><p>Tsunade feigned disinterest as the Oto military approached. She could make out the limp form of a boy restrained by electric cuffs and chakra shockers. He had blood running down his arms and legs.<p>

"_**Welcome.**_" Tsunade gritted out. To think that they would take an innocent boy and turn him into a monster.

"I'm sure you made arrangements already?" The leader spoke up.

"Of course, can't have all my patients dying."

"He's not that bad, he's usually very obedient."

_Until you broke him._Tsunade just smiled politely.

"Isn't that right, Naruto?"

At the mention of his name, Naruto's eyes turned red, his artificial God-like chakra flaring. He lunged against his cuffs, ignoring the pain. He wanted to kill him so badly.

"KABUTO!"

"Now, now Naruto. They wouldn't want you to be like this. You know how Sakura always nagged you to control your-"

"Shut up! You have no right to say her name!"

"Why not? Lucifer was _mine_." Kabuto smirked.

Naruto turned livid and broke out of his restraints.

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><p>Shizune was in a foul mood. Just thinking about Oto made her shiver and grimace. Malice seethed from her very being.<p>

"KABUTO!" At the shout of a name she knew oh so well, she froze. Memories of her life from before flashed through her mind. She willed herself to keep walking, schooling her face into a neutral expression. A burst of vile chakra caused her to run down the hall.

That bastard knew she was coming. She hated it.

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><p>Naruto lurched into the air, ready to beat Kabuto into a bloody pulp. As he drew nearer, all his common sense drained away until only the raw, unadulterated rage remained. His killer intent increased as he reached Kabuto. A flash of black appeared in his vision as invisible hands reached out. He felt himself being pushed away. He struggled against the force, but his limbs wouldn't obey. They were moving on their own and he screamed out in frustration. He was so <em>close<em>. So **damn** **close** to killing him. His anger consumed him and he roared in agony. He felt himself slowly turning into the monster that he was meant to be as he lashed out at his assailant. Everything went black and when he woke up, he found himself staring into cold, brown eyes. He glared at them as hands probed his skin, injecting paralysis chakra into his being.

"Glad to see you so alive and well Shizune-chan."

Shizune looked up and through clenched teeth replied, "I couldn't say the same for you, _Kabuto_."

"Thanks for saving me. Just like the good old times, ne?"

"..."

Tsunade sighed as she watched the exchange. That kid was going to be a handful. They would have to stabilize him somehow. She dully noted that the wounds on his arms and legs had disappeared. _'Regeneration abilities huh?'_

Kabuto turned to her. While they talked, Naruto and Shizune were having a little exchange of their own.

"**Saved him huh?**"

"Shut up, Narutoor should I call you **9**? It wasn't like I had a choice."

"Oh yeah? How about not jumping in front of the bastard?"

"Well I'm sorry _Demi Numbers_ were programmed like that. As a matter of fact, that's what got you here in the first place...I heard about Lucifer and Angel."

"YOU..."

"...I would have been executed if they found out." Shizune froze. Why did she say that?

"I'm...sorry...just please...don't call them that."

"Ugh." She groaned as her head started to ache. What was wrong with her?

"...nee-chan..."

"Who said you can call me that?"

"...kill...m-"

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><p>"Shizune, take over. I have urgent business I need to attend to."<p>

Naruto bit his lip and Shizune stiffened as Kabuto approached from behind.

"Care to show me his cell Shizune-chan?" Kabuto asked smiling innocently.

"Right away...**sir.**" She replied, hostility hidden behind her eyes. She remembered the time when she fell for his tricks. She had trusted him, but he let her down. As they approached Area 666 with Naruto, still paralyzed, Shizune stopped short before the gate. She contemplated on freeing the brat, but her common sense stopped where that thought was going.

"Do you have any weapons on you?"

"Do I look like I need weapons?"

"It's procedure. We don't want the patients getting any_ideas_."

"Don't worry, they won't try anything...I know most of them anyways." Kabuto grinned as he waved his hand dismissively, motioning her to open the gates. She obligated with his request. She barked at the guards to carry the newest patient to his cell. She felt a little guilty, knowing that she was condemning the brat. A small part of her was surprised. She had thought she had lost all sense of guilt.

Shizune stopped short as Kabuto casually slung an arm around her shoulders.

"Yes?"

"I have a proposition for you."

"..."

"Come work with us."

"...Excuse me? You want me to...what?"

"Work at Oto. You're a good asset. In fact, think of this as training."

"Are you saying...that...you're still working on the Kami-"

She got cut off, "Now Shizune-chan, not so loud. See, I knew you were smart."

"I want no part in it!"

"Well, you have no choice, it's an order _Shizune_."

Shizune never hated the sound of her voice as much as this moment as she muttered, "...yes...sir."

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><p>Naruto was vaguely aware that his hands were cuffed together. The guards had left moments before and he wondered where Shizune went. He didn't know if she remembered him or not. For now, his common sense was back and it was driving him crazy. He thought about Lucifer - <em>no, Sakura<em> - and her pink hair and her smile and her sad, green eyes, but goddamn, they were so glassy and dead -

_dead and bleeding everywhere -_

And Sasuke, with his red eyes, boring into him, unlocking his power, calling him, pleading him for forgiveness, eyes filled with hopelessness and agony.

"_I'm sorry!"_ _his eyes seemed to scream -_

And then there was so much blood, he was covered it in - they were all covered in it - and Naruto couldn't help but remember the smug, cocky look on that bastard's face.

He still remembers the aftermath. It didn't bring them back. Nothing could. They weren't coming back because he was **9****-** _not Naruto; not human -_ a Frankenstein created for the enjoyment of sadistic, cruel people. Perhaps had he been born into a different life, he could be known as Uzumaki Naruto and not as a sick impersonation of God. He wasn't God; he was a monster. He felt disgusted that the rich toyed with lives, as if it was a mere game to them. Like those below them were nothing; forcing people to be enslaved to their power. Like they were God themselves.

He shouldn't exist, that he knew. He knew why he was sent here. They were going to change him, make him forget, make him obey, make him into that monster he didn't want to be; that he never wanted to be. All he wanted was to be home and _if there was a God to please, oh please, bring Sasu and Saku back because they were his hope and his dream and his salvation._But there is no such thing as God because three were dead, not two, and he was still alive. He wanted to forget everything and if that meant_giving up and being a monster..._

But he couldn't do that to them. Never.EVER. Without Sakura and Sasuke, life had no meaning. He never had friends before meeting them, having been snatched from birth. But they had betrayed him, they had. But they didn't betray him at the same time. They wanted him to be human. He wanted to die, but he couldn't. Not yet, not until he overthrew the elites. Yes, he had all the things planned out. For now, he would go along with their little plan, and when they least expect it, he would get his revenge, even if he became a demon in the process.

_'Now what to do? What to do?'_

**"Let me take over..."**

_"Do it."_

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><p><strong>AN: Part 1 of flashback (1/3)**


	4. The Plan (part 2)

**A/N: Part 2 of flashback (2/3)**

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><p>"-insane! That is ridiculously insane!" Shizune all but shouted at the man in front of her. "GOD DOESN'T EXIST!"<p>

"But you know it's possible. You invented it after all."

"But that's not what it was made for!"

"You were there, were you not?"

Shizune glared at him in confusion and he laughed, "Don't worry, only I know."

She looked at him as her eyes glowed purple. "Only after you wiped _her_ memories," she hissed, her alter ego emerging. "You did that to her."

"Finally revealing yourself Hime-san?" Kabuto asked mockingly. "It's been such a long time."

"Watch your tone. If it wasn't for you messing with Shizune, I'd slaughter you in a heartbeat."

"Oh you wound me, Hime-san." Kabuto smiled. "Shizune-chan would love that, but she's not awake right now."

"YOU-" The sirens ringing cut her off and she scowled as her eyes reverted back to normal. With a shudder, Shizune gasped in surprise. "Wha-? What's going on?" Shizune was confused as hell. When did the bells start ringing? Why was Area 666 on lock down? Her questions where answered when a menacing aura swept through the building.

"There he goes again. So stubborn." Kabuto sighed, secretly glad that Shizune was in control of her mind again and not the entity that resided within her.

Shizune raced down the hall and into the corridor. Just as she approached Naruto's cell, several guards flew out, slamming into her. She groaned as she hit the ground, knocked over by the force. She sprang to her feet, shoving the guards away. She cautiously moved towards the cell, her heart racing as she felt the foreboding tension in the air. Stepping in the room, she threw herself into a roll as red chakra rushed at her, nicking her side. She cursed, hand on her wound as she worked to heal herself and defend herself at the same time. Naruto ran towards her as she pulled back her arm, readying a punch. Naruto caught her fist easily, sending her flying back. The pain fueled her adrenaline. The injury healed in no time and she surveyed the area around her. _Blood._ It was everywhere. She spotted two guards - or what looked like guards - in the corner, crushed until they were just a pile of flesh and gore. She felt nauseous and forced the bile that was coming up to go back down.

**"Two will never die."**A foot slammed into her from the right, catching her off-guard. A sickening crunch sounded as her left side smashed into the ground, her head throbbing, as the feeling in her left arm disappeared. She tried to move her fingers, but found that she could not move them. Ignoring the pain, she got back up, her breaths labored, as she spotted the boy. His eyes were alternating between red and blue and purple. She shook her head, willing her headache to go away. Slowly she backed away from the boy, fear in her eyes. His red chakra was moving around him in erratic bursts.

**"Three will..."**

"...n-naruto?"

**"...He's not here. Prepare to die demon..."**

The red chakra surged forward and Shizune jumped above it. As she landed on the ground, Naruto appeared, his fist sending her flying through the air. She slid down the wall, the gory blood in the corner seeping into her clothes. She rolled out of the way as the wall behind her exploded into dust. She could barely concentrate with the ringing in her ears. Naruto approached her as she stood up and she tensed.

"Naruto?"

**"You dare speak?"**

"What-? Who are you?"

But Naruto didn't reply, his face set in a grim line. Shizune froze. It was all coming back now; what Kabuto had said. GOD. She shook her head. _NO! SHE COULDN'T REMEMBER._ Shizune would not be allowed to remember, but something was forcing the memories to resurface. There was a voice in her head and she couldn't stop it. "Don't make me remember," she chanted over and over again until it became a mantra. She didn't know what she was forgetting, but she had a feeling that it would be bad if she remembered it. She swung blindly at Naruto, her left arm numb, bone sticking out. But she didn't feel the pain, she was only focused on one thing: destroying the thing that was hurting her.

Naruto dodged to the left as she feigned a right roundhouse kick. Her hand slashed into his right arm and he drew back, hissing. With blood pumping, adrenaline, and the feeling of euphoria surging, she attacked in a frenzy. She threw punch after punch; kick after kick and she smirked when she got a hit in. Naruto fought back, his red chakra cutting and slicing her. His foot caught her under the jaw and she coughed up blood. She collapsed to the floor and Naruto groaned, holding his side. She had successfully released poison into his blood stream. She frowned as she watched his nervous system purge his body. A red-orange glow surrounded him. For a second, she thought that she had imagined it. His wounds disappeared as the glow dissipated. He stalked towards her and she didn't know why it was so familiar. His eyes flickered to blue for a second and her breath caught in her throat as she glimpsed a familiar glint in his eyes.

_"Nee-chan ... I-I can't ... do this ... I'm scared ... I don't want to be ... a-a monster ..."_

_Monster. Weapon. God._

_"You're not a monster. Okay? I'm here. Listen to me. I'm here."_

_With God, we will have total control._

_"God doesn't exist nee-chan. He doesn't...so why...why me?"_

_"I'm sorry..."_

_"...I should't be alive.."_

_"...Naruto."_

_Shizune. Shizune. You are the pawn. You exist because-_

Shizune gasped for air as Naruto hauled her up by her throat. She couldn't breathe. Red chakra restricted her limbs; she could feel her bones cracking. Tears streamed down her face - not because of the pain - but because she remembered. What had she done? She condemned him. She was the key to unleashing the monster in him. That's why Kabuto sent him here. She was the controller. She didn't know what to think except that she should have killed him a long time ago. Blood dripped from her mouth. Why was she so tired? Shizune's eyes started to close. She thought about the life that she led. She thought she was doing something good, instead she ended up creating weapons of mass destruction. She was responsible for the deaths of so many people. She could have laughed if she could. She shouldn't have been born. If there really was a God, he should have let her die a long time ago.

**"-God exists, but not here. Here ... only the devil exists."**

"N-naru-"

**"Die."**

_You should have killed the brat. _A voice whispered.

_Who are you?_

_Remember me?_

_GO AWAY! You're not supposed to be here, Hime._

_It's a good thing I am. You're about to be killed. _The voice sounded disappointed.

_Shut up!_

_Let me help you._

_NO!_

_You're going to have to use me eventually. _The voice taunted her. _You can either use me for good or for evil. It's your call._ The voice paused. _I recommend killing the brat._

_I-I can't._

_Seriously? As much as I like watching the world burn, I prefer to be alive. Now, go kill the brat oh wise controller. _

_I won't._

_You need to kill him. Before he kills us!_

_But-_

_QUIT YOUR BABBLING. DO IT NOW!_

_I-_

_What? You're going to let the world burn? As much as it pains me to say it, you need to save the world. KILL HIM!_

With her last remaining strength, Shizune channeled her chakra into Naruto's red chakra. She watched it turn black as it bubbled around her. Naruto was coughing. His hold on her weakened. She couldn't breathe. Her body was on fire. She felt herself falling, the world spinning in circles. Darkness enveloped her as everything faded into nothing.

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><p><strong>AN: So uh Shizune has an "inner demon" in her too. I hope this makes sense. Oh well.**


	5. The Plan (part 3)

**A/N: Part 3 of flashback (3/3)**

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><p>"-ake up. Are you okay? Hey!"<p>

Shizune groaned as someone prodded her. On instinct, she shot up, attacking the unknown voice.

"Ow!" The unknown person exclaimed. "I thought I killed you or something. Glad you're okay."

"Wha-? YOU!"

"Hahaha. 'm sorry."

"Brat!" Shizune exclaimed as memories came streaming into her head.

Naruto grinned. "I see you remember me now. Mind getting off of me? You're really heavy."

Shizune looked down, suddenly realizing that she had Naruto pinned to the ground. Her left arm was bleeding profusely, the blood staining Naruto's shirt. She winced in pain as she rolled off of him into a sitting position. Using her right hand, she pushed the bone sticking out her left arm back into place. She bit her lip to keep from crying out. Pumping chakra into her arm, she slowly started the painful process of mending her bone into one piece. While doing that, she assessed the situation. There was no one in sight, besides them. The room was a complete wreck; the windows shattered and the floor tiles torn up as if an earthquake had occurred. It was a wonder that the ceiling was intact.

"Where are the guards?"

"Don't worry." Naruto pointed towards the door where a red chakra barrier was blocking it. "No one can come in just yet." His eyes flickered red for a brief moment, alarming her. Shizune sprung up into a defensive stance, ignoring the pain in her arm.

"Woah! Relax nee-chan." Naruto held his hands up in mock surrender. "I said I was sorry. I didn't mean to attack you. You just came in at the wrong moment." Naruto paused until Shizune sat back down before continuing. "The stupid thing took advantage of me when I was at my lowest and I let it take over. It almost ruined my plan too." He paused again. "I would've lost it completely and destroyed everything here ... if you died." He hung his head in shame.

"...Naruto." Shizune murmured softly. "It wasn't your fault."

"It is." He whispered quietly. "It's all my fault that ..." He couldn't finish his sentence. He just couldn't because the truth was too painful. _I killed them! I was about to kill you too! They died because of me! _Naruto didn't know when the thoughts in his head became screams, but once the words flew out of his mouth he couldn't stop. "I killed them because I'm a monster!" Naruto was sobbing hysterically. Shizune was at a loss. She didn't know what to do. After the incident, she had to pretend that she didn't know about it. She couldn't risk being found out. When she was offered a transfer, she grabbed it not knowing that her memories would be altered.

* * *

><p>Kabuto eyed the barrier that led to Naruto's cell. He hoped that Naruto kept Shizune alive. He rather liked her thank you very much. She was the key to this whole operation. It would be a shame for her to die so soon. He smirked. If he was lucky, her memories would have started to come back. He needed Hime for the next phase. The ground shook violently as something crashed in the cell. Kabuto frowned. Shizune better not be dead.<p>

"Tsk." He needed to remove this barrier now. It wasn't like he worried about her. She meant nothing to him, despite their past friendship. She was a tool for him to use; a means to an end. He didn't think like this in the past, but reality turned him into the person that he was today. It was her fault that she was too damn trusting. He had to give her props though. She was brilliant, the mastermind behind the Kami Experiments. Despite being low-class, she made a name for herself. She was lucky, he supposed. He had to work his way up to where he was now, using whatever method was necessary to get to the top.

Another crash sounded in the cell. He sighed. It was time for him to disable the barrier before Shizune really died. His boss would have his head if she died. He really needed her to be alive, although he had some suspicions that she would rather be dead than help them. He had some suspicions that she was working against them anyways. The incident that happened back then was planned. It had to be and she was probably one of the ones behind it. He had time to keep an eye on her to see what she was up to. But first, he had to make sure she was alive.

* * *

><p>"You want to pretend to do what?" Shizune exclaimed.<p>

"Pretend to be their pawn."

"Are you insane?"

"Why yes. Yes I am. Shh."

"And how are you supposed to pretend to be under their control?"

"That's where you come in."

"What? Why am I involved?"

"Do I have to explain everything to you Nee-chan. I thought you were smart- OW! I WAS KIDDING!"

"You'll survive."

"Haha~ anyways, I thought since you had talent in this line of work, if you could alter everything. That procedure thingy that I was sent here for can be monitored right?"

"How did you know..."

"I'm smart duh!"

Shizune stared in disbelief at the grinning boy in front of her. To be so young and to have to go through the process of losing everything. She really didn't want to see him turn into a weapon.

"If I agree to go along with your plan ... you'll forget them."

"It's okay. They'll always be in my heart ..." his grin faltered, "... ALWAYS!"

"It could take a years for it to work. I would need to implant the suggestion into your mind, so that I can wake you up before they turn you into a weapon. But in order to cover up my tracks, I'd have to mess with your memories. However, the side effect could reduce your brain into mush."

"I'll do whatever it takes to screw with their plans." Naruto whispered. "You just need to sabotage their experiment and secretly wake me up every now and then."

"You'll end up with nightmares about them. Can you handle that? The monster will take advantage of that weakness if you aren't careful..." Shizune trailed off.

"I don't care about the risks, I just need to destroy that bastard." Naruto looked at her, his blue eyes brimming with anger. Shizune's face softened as she pulled him into an embrace, like a mother comforting her crying child.

"It's okay, Naruto. Everything will be alright," she lied - _because it'll never be alright as long as society was full of twisted, wealthy people who were bored with their lives. The pain will never end because replacements are easy to get and human lives are fragile; the weak and the poor expendable_.

"Since you're the key to this plan, everything will work out. It will." _For Sasuke and Sakura, I'll go to the ends of the earth. Wait for me. It's a promise of a lifetime. Believe it!_

Both of them turned as a loud sizzling noise echoed into the air. The red chakra barrier was fading, and fast.

"Crap. He's coming. Knock me out. Quickly!" Naruto urged as he shoved Shizune away, who yelped in surprise.

"Sorry, Naruto." Shizune jabbed his neck with two fingers, her chakra knocking him out cold. She manage to pull herself up just as Kabuto rushed in. He eyed her injured arm, noticing the cuts and bruises on various parts of her body. He raised an eyebrow at her after surveying the room.

"What the hell happened in here?"

"What do you think happened?" Shizune glared at him.

"No need to be angry at me. I'm just glad you're alive."

"Of course you are." Shizune replied sarcastically.

"You make it sound like I'm a bad person." Kabuto retorted. He walked towards her. "Let me see your arm."

"... why?"

Kabuto grabbed her arm as she flinched. He examined it. "Your arm was broken beyond repair,yet you mended it back into one piece perfectly. You still have that touch of yours I see."

"Next time, _you_ take care of it."

"I will, if you work for me." Kabuto held his hand over her injury. Although she had mended her bone, she hadn't actually healed the flesh around it yet. She was low on chakra and energy; not to mention all the blood that she had loss. All she wanted to do was sleep. She watched him heal her arm and then her other injuries. He was humming that goddamn awful tune that she always hated. He used to hum it all the time when they were kids. Her heartbeat quickened as an emotion she hadn't felt for a long time resurfaced. It was so painful watching him heal her because he wasn't her friend anymore. He was the enemy and here she was thinking about the past. He couldn't do that to her. He had no right acting like he cared. He betrayed them. He betrayed her! She would never forgive him.

"Work for me." Kabuto repeated, snapping her from her thoughts.

"... I'm thinking about it." She mumbled softly.

"I'll take that as a yes." Kabuto replied before she collapsed against him, her strength disappearing. She struggled to stand upright, but the world was spinning again. Her eyelids were so heavy; she was so tired. Kabuto steadied her before he lifted her up, carefully carrying her to the infirmary. The last thing she saw was Naruto's unconscious body on the ground before she passed out.

* * *

><p><strong>Present day...<strong>

"-uke."

Shizune stared at him, confusion written on her face.

"Wha-?"

"...Who's Sasuke?"

"Nightmares again Naruto?"

"NO! HE WAS REAL!"

"Then where is this Sasuke?" She inwardly winced as his eyes started to tear up. "Please don't cry ..."

"I'm not crying! I just feel sad when I hear his name ..." Naruto mumbled, before red chakra surrounded him. He jumped from his bed. "But he's real! I swear he's real!" The alarms started to ring and Shizune groaned because she didn't have time for this.

"Naruto. Stop." At her command, Naruto stopped, turning to look at her.

"Holy crap, nee-chan. My head's spinning."

"You make my life hard." Shizune sighed. "At least your mind is still clear."

"Nothing can kill me!" Naruto replied. "Thanks for taking care of me. I know it's hard to pretend."

Before she could say anything else, Naruto lunged at her. Before she could react, he flew to the other side of the room.

"Now now Naruto. Calm down. I thought you were supposed to watch him, Shizune-chan."

"I WAS WATCHING HIM!" _That was a close one._

"Then why is he attacking you?"

"Side effects," she responded, "it'll take some time for it to subside. At the moment, he's experiencing nightmares due to the memory tweak we did on him."

As Kabuto turned to deal with Naruto, Shizune discreetly sent out a signal that forced Naruto into his insane state. She studied his face and was relieved to see that familiar glint in his eyes - a sign that he was still staying strong and keeping the monster at bay. He was still the same person hidden behind all the barriers that she had enclosed around him. She just hoped his mind didn't deteriorate because it would become harder to dig himself out of the hole she created for him.

_Stay strong brat. _

* * *

><p><strong>AN: so this ends the flashback. next chapter is the flashback for the "incident" scene that happens about a year before this flashback. the rest of the chapters are flashbacks actually. I'm still in the process of figuring things out. **


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